


Just A Little Longer

by blossombabes



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hospital, Hurt/Comfort, Riverdale, protective!jughead, school shooting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-17 01:29:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14822639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blossombabes/pseuds/blossombabes
Summary: Betty Cooper, always a hero. Always a victim.





	Just A Little Longer

**Author's Note:**

> This ends in fluff, but be warned, it’s pretty angsty for the majority of it. School shootings are a very relevant issue at the moment, as much as it genuinely pains me to acknowledge. I’m so sorry to those who have experienced and those who frequently fear experiencing these horrible occurrences. You will always have my support, and hopefully soon, the support of all.

One gunshot. 

One scream.

One sound of a body hitting the linoleum. 

That was how the whole catastrophe began. Students began to panic, despite the teachers trying to take charge of the situation. 

Two hours later, and the hallways were empty, smeared with innocent blood, but empty nonetheless. A lone set of footsteps echoed in those halls, signaling Riverdale's very own angel of death. 

Students had chosen a hiding place, and were lying in wait to see if they had chosen correctly. It was strange. The lockdowns the school was required to have monthly always seemed like common sense procedures, but no one could remember them now. 

No one aside from Betty Cooper, who sat squeezed in the corner of a biology classroom with Veronica Lodge. Veronica was in near hysterics, eyes wild and breathing heavy. 

Betty, on the other hand, had taken on the role of the leader, coaching Veronica through her multiple panic attacks. Not to say her psyche wasn't an absolute wreck, because it was. She was coaxing herself through the thoughts of losing her boyfriend and her other best friend, as well as protecting herself and the vixen beside her. 

Suddenly the door knob began to turn, and Veronica let out a shriek. Betty took the hand not clasped in the brunette's and pressed it over her mouth, muffling the sound. She screwed her eyes shut and tightened her grip on her friend's hand as the door flew open. 

"Veronica!" "Betty!" two familiar voices said in unison, quickly closing the door behind them. "Archie!" Veronica sobbed, running into the red-haired jock's awaiting embrace.

"Jughead," Betty sighed, so quiet he could only see her lips move. He was the one to run to her, his body shaking as he clung to her.

She let her resolve falter, allowing herself to show a quick moment of weakness as he held her in his arms. A few tears slipped down her rosy cheeks and landed on his hand, which cupped her jaw. 

He brushed them away with the pad of his thumb. Tenderly, he kissed her temple before pulling away to face Archie and Veronica. He intertwined his hand with Betty's, unusually desperate for the familiar touch. 

"Did you see anything?" Veronica asked worriedly, still clinging to Archie. Archie shook his head, clearly disheveled. "There's bodies, I didn't count how many,"he panted. 

"Do we know who the shooter is?" Betty asked, brows furrowed. Archie shook his head. 

Jughead gave Betty's hand a soft squeeze as a voice echoed in the hallway. "P-p-please don't," Josie's usually melodic voice pleaded. No one responded, but the four teens in the nearby classroom sensed that there was another person there. 

"Please!" 

Betty snapped into action, breaking away from her friends and speed walking into the hallway. "Betty!" Jughead begged, being held back by Archie and Veronica. He watched behind the glass window of the door as Betty inserted herself into the literal life or death situation.

It all happened so fast.

The shooter pulled the trigger and, instinctively, Betty leapt in front of Josie. The leader of the Pussycats screamed before Betty even made a sound. 

The shooter, evidently shocked by her actions, ran the opposite direction towards the exit. Jughead didn't care about the sound of sirens outside, or the sound of Josie's sobs, or the cries of his friends. He only cared about the blonde girl laying on the tile floor. 

"Betty!" he shouted, taking off his flannel and pressing down on her abdomen. The gunshot wound poured blood, no matter how much pressure he applied. His hands were still covered in crimson and Betty's skin was still going pale. 

"Hey, come on, Betts, stay with me," he begged, watching her gasp for breath. Her green eyes, which were losing their light, were wide and frightened. 

She wrapped a fragile hand around his forearm, trying to force a smile. "It's ok, Juggie. It'll be ok." 

He wanted to believe her, more than anything right now, but it was difficult. "I love you," she choked as she watched her own blood pool around his knees. "Don't talk like that," he responded quickly, staring at her hand laying softly atop of his. "You're going to be ok."

She stayed still for a few seconds, and Jughead's heart fell to his stomach. She finally nodded slowly and he sighed in relief. 

Betty tried her hardest to smile, but because of the pain in her stomach it was more actually described as a grimace. 

"Where is the medic?!" Jughead screamed as Betty began to shake. "I'm so cold, Juggie." He hated how tired she sounded. "Do you think I could take a rest?" 

"No, no, no- come on just a little longer. Stay awake, please." His voice wobbled as he continued to apply steady pressure to her wound. He let out a sob and Betty's eyes flew open. 

"D-don't cry," she tried to assure. He nodded and blinked away any remaining tears. Suddenly, the door to the school opened, and several police officers and medics entered. 

"She's been shot!" he shouted, gaining two of the professionals's attention. They immediately came over and maneuvered her onto the stretcher. "Please," he begged them, watching as they removed his flannel and replaced it with a towel of their own. 

Jughead stared down at the soaking flannel in his hands. The fact that it was covered in Betty's blood made his run cold. He watched as they spoke frantically and carried her out of the building. 

He couldn't register what they were saying, or even that they had left the building. He sat on the floor, clutching the fabric to his chest, sobbing so hard he thought he might choke to death.  

Neither could he register Archie and Veronica's outbursts, even though usually he would be the one to calm them. He couldn't, not when Betty wasn't there.

The trip to the hospital was a blur, but the actual waiting felt like years. In actuality, it was only five hours, but it felt like a lifetime.

Betty's parents filtered in amongst other families who awaited the fate of their children. He cared for them, of course, but Betty was his main focus. 

Finally, a doctor came out. "Betty Cooper?" Her parents, Archie , Veronica, and Jughead all stood up. 

"She's alive, we managed to get the bullet out. She was very lucky, it narrowly missed her spleen." Everyone let out a sigh of relief. 

"When can we see her?" Jughead asked.   
The doctor looked at him skeptically. "Are you family?" Jughead shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, son, it's family only." 

Alice Cooper pulled her bottom lip between her teeth before piping up. "I- I want him to see her. He was the one who helped her at the school." Jughead looked to her in shock, and then to the doctor.

The man sighed before nodding. "Room 304." 

Jughead practically ran to the room where Betty laid, wide awake. "Juggie," she gasped when he walked into the doorway. She groaned as she tried to sit up, and Jughead rushed to her side.

"Hey, hey, hey, relax," he said quietly before sitting on the edge of her bed. Her hand found his and a sigh left her perfectly pink lips.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said, scanning over her small frame, swamped in the hospital attire and hooked up to machine after machine. "I'm glad you're here," she giggled, wincing at the slight pain it caused her. "You saved my life, Jug."

He shook his head and brought his free hand up to stroke her cheek. "I can't lose you, Betts."  She leaned into his touch. "And you won't." 

"Juggie, will you hold me?" she asked shyly. "Yeah, yeah of course," he said quickly. Betty scooted over to give him more room as he climbed atop the dull covers. 

He wrapped Betty in his arms, kissing the side of her face repeatedly. "I. Love. You," he said, separating each word by a peck. "I love you too," she whispered, nuzzling as close to him as she could. Despite the day's earlier events, she felt at peace. A change of pace from their usual lives. 

But as long as her beanie wearing beau was with her, life would be ok. Jughead would make sure of that.


End file.
